Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-The Gypsy Cowboy (Race 4)
Race #1: Selections: 2-6-5
2-Danielle (by Practical Joke) drops in class on the turnback to a sprint for a lucrative jockey/trainer combo, and this filly might be ready for a career-best effort in start number three. Team O’Neill sends out a pair of juvenile fillies. 6-Mooberry has been a non-factor in both Del Mar sprint starts (dirt and turf) but drops in for a first-time tag this afternoon and is likely to find this group far more suitable. Her stablemate is firster 5-Lovely Maya, by Grade 1 Idol, who is 1 for 10 with his juvenile prodigy.
Race #2: Selections: 5-7-4
The 0-for-14 5-Stormy Gal drops a notch while making her third try of the current form cycle and is a logical fit with this group, having posted the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (47). Both starts over this afternoon’s layout have resulted in runner-up finishes. 7-We Salute You flashed speed before tiring to a well-beaten third just eight days ago when a head behind Salty Siss and figures to get another favorable upfront pressing trip with today’s outside draw. The aforementioned 4-Salty Siss is 0 for 12 but was right there with the top choice last week and has now run well in two of three tries over the course.
Race #3: Selections: 5-6-4
5-Toulouse Detrac is 0-for-4 over the Los Al afternoon layout but drops in for a career-low claiming tag as the field’s clear frontrunner and could prove tough to reel in late with an alert break. 6-Go Prancealot rallied from last to win going away by 2 ½ lengths when last seen at Emerald Downs back on Aug. 9, and now returns to the Ramos barn with her return to Los Al. This 3-year-old filly has shown only one recent drill, Sept. 6, over at Emerald in the last month. Mixed feelings. A well-beaten wide eighth last time, 4-Fun to Run drops in for a career-low claiming tag today and can move forward, making her second try off a year layoff.
Race #4: Selections: 6-1-5
A projected TimeformUS swift early pace should set things up perfectly for 6-The Gypsy Cowboy, a multiple winner over the track and distance, and a sharp come-from-behind victor at this level over this course two back. The Richard Baltas-trained 1-Lit drew off convincingly over this course on debut going 5 ½ furlongs and then followed up that win with a seventh in the seven-furlong Real Good Deal S. A sharp bullet “best of 74” four furlongs in :46.2 on Sept. 13 indicates the gray son of Straight Fire may be ready for a strong rebound try. 5-Unpretentious goes turf to dirt for conditioner Charlie Treece on the class drop and was a solid 14-1 upset winner two back, sprinting over Del Mar main track. The lightly raced 4-year-old colt may have more upside, making his fourth start off the extended layoff.
Race #5: Selections: 9-1-6
9-Lucky Sniper must overcome a tricky outside draw but goes turf-to-dirt and takes a sizable class plunge for trainer Dan Blacker. The gelded son of Om figures to inhale this inferior group late. 1-Shapoval makes career start number 15 this afternoon but has never tried dirt for Miller and has never been offered this cheaply. The 4-year-old gelding figures to sit a nice ground-saving journey from the fence with Ayuso. 6-Halninethousand finished in front of several of these on Sept. 3 (including his stablemate) and is a logical threat with a similar effort and Beyer figure (58) for trainer Ryan Hanson.
Race #6: Selections: 1-3-6
1-Baby T is one of the most experienced juveniles in the field with four career starts, and this Pavel gelding shortens back up to a sprint with his return to dirt. He ran an OK fourth over this course two-back and lands in a suspect Maiden Special Weight field. 3-Kathy’s House sped away to a four-length early lead before tiring and fading to seventh on her grass debut. A threat to chase down again with any normal second-out progression. 6-Jackalope (by Jack Milton) finished up an even fourth on debut at Del Mar Aug. 21 and is eligible to move forward in start number two with the addition of blinkers.
Race #7: Selections: 2-1-4
2-Midnite Musket is a logical threat off his recent runner-up finish over this strip 8 days ago, over a pair of today’s returning rivals, while posting the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (77). A winner under the Los Al lights in last going shorter against lesser, 1-Devil Moon has good positional speed to coincide with today’s rail draw and has hit the board in two of three tries over the bigger afternoon layout. Our top selection last week, 4-Black Magician, sped to the lead and collapsed against $10k claimers, and now drops to today’s $6,250 level, shortening up to five furlongs. The 6-year-old gelding reunites with winning pilot this afternoon and will look to wire this field again.
Race #8: Selections: 6-3-4
First off the Sept. 5 Aggie Ordonez claim, 6-None Above the Law is 2-for-3 over the Los Al afternoon layout and gets the upset call today, holding the best late-pace figure in the field in what should be a spirited race flow. The hard-hitting 8-year-old gelding is reunited with veteran rider Kent Desormeaux. 3-Man O Rose has won the last two editions of this event by a combined 13 ¼ lengths and is a heavy favorite to win again for trainer Jeff Mullins, exiting a troubled trip on Aug. 22 at Del Mar in the G2 Green Flash H. when breaking through the gate pre-race, eased in the lane and walked off the course. 4-Mr. Disrespectful won back-to-back races when last seen over this course three and four back and blew out a sharp three furlongs in :36 flat on Sept. 13.
Race #9: Selections: 9-4-7
9-Hungover was a troubled trip, even-money beaten favorite when bumped and squeezed back at the start in his lone try over this course three-back at this level and deserves another chance back at this venue. He closed well to finish second in his last start at Del Mar and followed up with a nice four-furlong drill Sept. 6. 4-Still Bulletproof gets some serious class relief this Saturday afternoon in the nightcap for trainer Andy Mathis, dropping from $50k maiden claimers to today’s $12,500 level. The 0-for-7 gelding closed for third against considerably better in his lone try over this course three back. 7-Tight Daly was trounced over at Del Mar in last but runner-up at this level two-back.
